wariness
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wariness
Explanation
Wariness is the characteristic of being very cautious or careful. It's smart to have certain amount of wariness when you approach a dog you don't know. Your wariness might cause you not to trust people when you first meet them — reserving judgment or waiting to see if they turn out to be reliable can both be evidence of wariness. Sometimes wariness is entirely appropriate, like when you move through a haunted house or handle a snake. The noun wariness comes from the adjective wary, or "cautious or careful," with its Old English root, wær, "prudent, aware, or alert."
Vocabulary lists containing wariness
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
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Every Day
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More Than a Dream
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Motivated by price, convenience, a desire for anonymity, or wariness of interacting with a clinician, some patients buy medication online from a number of online vendors selling drugs manufactured in India.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
In what might be a reflection of the historical volatility and a wariness among investors, Micron’s stock trades at a forward price/earnings valuation of 8.1.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
But "lawmakers are not fooled", said Iteanu, as enthusiasm for AI has not dispelled public wariness about its potential consequences.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
But right now, many foreign acts also feel fear — or at least wariness — about booking substantial tours in the United States.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
There was no anger in her eyes, just a kind of wariness.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
